King Salman extends vacation in Bali

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- Bali Police have informed that King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia has decided to extend his vacation in Bali until March 12, from March 9 as scheduled before.

The police received a copy of the letter sent by the Saudi embassy in Jakarta to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Hengky Widjaja said in Bali on Tuesday.

In the letter, the Saudi embassy informed the ministry that King Salman and his entourage will extend their holiday in the world's most famous resort island of Bali until March 12, 2017, with the duration of their stay now being eight days.

Despite intensified security efforts, the activities of King Salman and his entourage while having vacation in Bali remain firmly under wraps to protect their privacy.

The Saudi King, who is accompanied by 25 princes as part of his 1.5 thousand-member entourage, has booked five luxury hotels located on the beaches lining the Indian Ocean. The hotels include St Regis, Mulia, and Lagoon located in Nusa Dua, Badung District, and Bulgari in Uluwatu, also in Badung District.

The beaches around those hotels have a fencing of bamboo covered with white cloth. The Saudi King and his entourage are enjoying a vacation in Bali after paying a state visit to Jakarta on March 1-3.

The visit is considered to be historical as a Saudi king had lasted visited Indonesia 47 years ago.